As with any diet, there are bound to be some mistakes. The mistakes all have different repercussions whether made unknowingly or knowingly. The bottom line, however, is that they affect the progress and effectiveness of the diet and they should be avoided. That said, how exactly does one handle mistakes that he/she has little or no clue are happening?
Avoid assumptions
Assumptions are one of the root causes of most DASH diet mistakes. For instance, do not make assumptions about the nutritional value of certain foods and instead, make sure that you confirm the actual nutritional content. Not making assumptions regarding the diet ensures that you only deal with factual information and lowers the risk of making mistakes.
Pay particular attention to your snacking habits
Snacking is encouraged in any diet especially since there may be a long time between meals, what with work responsibilities and all. However, a snack is not a substitute for a meal and neither is it a meal in itself. That you are snacking, therefore, does not mean that you are free to avoid actual meals and it does not mean that you should make the snack as big as an actual meal. More so, while there is a general allowance to snack on anything within the DASH diet parameters, make sure that you add a little protein. Proteins will provide satisfaction until your next meal and limit your desire to snack more in between meals.
Poor or limited commitment to the diet
If you have ever been on any diet, and not necessarily the DASH diet, then you know that there is constant temptation to drop off the diet. With limited commitment, you might end up doing just that, which would be a huge mistake. Whether you do it to get onto the next fad diet, or because you couldn’t keep off the pizza and fries, the thing is all that can be avoided if you have more willingness and commitment to the diet.
Avoid the ‘just this once’ mentality
When you find yourself trying to convince yourself to stray off the diet parameters because one time couldn’t possibly hurt, then you are in deep trouble. It always starts with the one time and quickly becomes a habit that then leads to a failed diet plan. By avoiding the mentality behind this eventuality, you save yourself from failure, which is almost always guaranteed in such a case.
Conclusion
As long as you internalize the guidelines for the DASH diet, rely on factual information and not assumptions and stay away from temptations while remaining committed to the diet, then you are in a better position to avoid mistakes. You can find more information on diet and health at thrombocyte
